Shark bite victim, Michael Cohen, is in a “stable, but critical condition” due to the extent of his injuries, explained attending trauma surgeon Professor Andrew Nicol at a media briefing at Mediclinic Constantiaberg earlier today.
Mr Cohen was airlifted to the hospital after a shark attack while he was swimming off Fish Hoek beach on 28 September. A multidisciplinary trauma team was on standby upon his arrival. “He was fully conscious but sedated when he arrived at the emergency centre at Mediclinic Constantiaberg,” he said.
According to Dr Nicol, the patient had sustained massive blood loss, a traumatic amputation through the right knee and a through-and-through bite wound just above the left ankle. He also had a fracture of the tibia and fibula of that side.
After the patient’s femoral vessels were clamped he was taken to theatre where the amputation was formalised and an orthopaedic team led by Dr Roy Endenberg attended to the patient to wash, debride and apply an external fixator to stabilize the bones in the left leg. Vascular surgeon Dr James Tunnicliffe evaluated the blood supply to the left foot that had initially looked to be compromised. The patient received 13 units of blood and is being ventilated and sedated at present. He will return to theatre tomorrow where specialists will reassess his injuries.
Mediclinic Constantiaberg respects Mr Cohen and his family’s privacy and their wish is not to be contacted during this time.